Principal O’Tremba leaving post at elementary school

The opportunity to become superintendent of schools in Colstrip, Montana, is one that presented itself many times before Scott O’Tremba decided to go for it. O’Tremba, who is currently principal of Lovell Elementary School, will be beginning his new job in Colstrip this summer.

“I decided to retire, then this opportunity came up,” said O’Tremba. “I passed it up a few times while it was open, but my daughter lives there and kind of encouraged me to do it.”

O’Tremba said he was already looking forward to retirement and was excited about retiring, then realized he still had the energy and skills to bring something to the position in the Colstrip school district, so he decided to accept the offer. The biggest bonus the move offers O’Tremba and his wife Stacy is the opportunity to live closer to their two grandchildren ages 2 and six months.

O’Tremba will be the superintendent over three schools in the Colstrip school district, overseeing a population of about 500 students.

One of the challenges will be in recruiting and maintaining staff, with housing less available and salaries lower than what teachers are paid in Wyoming. O’Tremba is a strong advocate for mentoring and professional development. One of his biggest strengths has been team building. He said he’s hoping to bring this expertise to his new job.

During his 15-year tenure as principal of Lovell High School O’Tremba built a team of educators who won the school a Blue Ribbon and national recognition as one of the best performing schools in the country. O’Tremba said having the school recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for 2013 is one of the proudest moments of his career.

O’Tremba was later named Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the year by the Wyoming Secondary Schools Principals Association in 2014. During his tenure, in the school year 2010-11, LHS had the highest graduation rate in the state. The school is consistently ranked among the top performing schools in the state with especially high scores in math and science. Students consistently test high on the ACT test, often outranking the state averages on the test in every category. Additionally, a very high percentage of students participate in extra-curricular activities and win numerous awards in those activities.

“As a leader, he’s a really collaborative person,” said Superintendent Doug Hazen, who has worked with O’Tremba for 16 years in the district. “He listens to his staff members, and he’s had people with ideas that he’s allowed to be innovative. Obviously, staff feel motivated when their ideas get implemented and they see things happen as a result.”

O’Tremba credits a great teaching staff, great students and great parents for the success during his 18 years with the school district in Lovell.

“Scott hired a great staff over the years he was principal at the high school,” said Hazen. “We still benefit from that staff today. A lot of people in our district, including myself, are here because of him. I would not be the person I am in education today without him. He’s helped me throughout my career.”

Hazen worked under O’Tremba’s leadership at Lovell High School during some of the school’s highest achieving years.

“I think he hired the right people, and he created the camaraderie that was there,” said Hazen. “I was there, and it was fun. I think anyone who was there would say that. We were doing well in athletics, we were doing well in academics, and there was camaraderie with the staff. He was the visionary person during that time, and he brought the right people in and led us to that blue ribbon.”

Over the course of his career O’Tremba has worked as a teacher, a counselor and a principal at all levels of education. He said he coached just about every sport other than wrestling and coached a high school speech and debate team.

“I think he’s going to bring a wealth of knowledge to his new job,” said Hazen. “Eighteen years here is a valuable administrative experience. He’s certainly done a lot of things in his career that will make him an asset (to the Colstrip School District).”

O’Tremba said he will miss the “incredible kids” he worked with over the years and the “meaningful relationships” he formed with his colleagues. He will start his new position in Colstrip on July 1.

 During the district retirement recognition at Monday night’s Lovell High School graduation ceremony, board member Danny Jolley summed up O’Tremba’s contribution to the school district: “Throughout Scott’s tenure, he has exemplified unwavering commitment, leadership and a dedication to excellence. Scott’s achievements speak for themselves; during his time in our district he was honored as the Wyoming Principal of the Year and led Lovell High School to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School. Beyond accolades, his true legacy lies in his passion for mentoring and cultivating the educators around him. He consistently had the ability to foster an environment where growth and innovation could flourish. Scott has consistently championed professional development initiatives and provided unwavering support to empower his staff members to be their best. Scott’s departure leaves an indelible mark on our district, but his influence will continue to inspire those he led as they continue to strive for excellence in education. We extend our deepest gratitude for his years of service and wish Scott the best in his next adventure.”